My Story

Sometimes, the simplest question can be difficult to answer. For me, that question is, “Where are you from?” I was born in Decatur, Alabama to Mark and Kristi McClanahan, two of the most loving and supportive parents a girl could have. My only brother, Scott, was born two years later and we have been best friends since he arrived (other than a brief period in high school when he hogged the phone every night, but I digress).

Our family moved to Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain when I was in Kindergarten as a part of my Dad's job with General Motors. We then had the privilege of living in Saginaw, MIchigan, Kaiserslautern, Germany (K-Town, as the Americans called it) and finally, Hartselle, Alabama.

Wherever we moved, I always had three things that stayed constant: a loving home life, an enthusiasm for sports and a relationship with God who was always with me. In college at Auburn University, I worked at a fabulous camp, called Kanakuk Kamps in Branson, Missouri where I met my husband, Clay Osburne.

Clay and I were married on July 1, 2000 and we moved to Marietta, Georgia. Clay was teaching and coaching and I was working as a trainer for a technology company in Sandy Springs. Our first few years of marriage were full of excitement! It felt like a slumber party with my best friend every night, except of course when I spent too much money and then it was like spending a night in solitary confinement.

After four years of marriage, I would describe our union as “comfortable.” We both had decent jobs, a cute house and a golden retriever named Shelby. We had wonderful friends and a supportive family, but I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I could not ignore. It was a longing for something more in our relationship. I asked myself, like Jack Nicholson asked in his famous movie, “What if this is AS GOOD AS IT GETS?”

After months of thinking and praying, I decided that I had to know. I wanted to know if marriage was simply one long marathon of mediocrity highlighted by a few big fights and a couple wonderful events. I wanted to know if it was possible to have more. And I decided that I did not want to hear from anyone that was trying to sell me a book or CD set..

I wanted to talk to real people with real problems and real solutions. The name “Everyday Experts” kept buzzing through my mind and I knew that I could not ignore it. That was the beginning of the Everyday Experts Project. I started simply by interviewing friends and family, listening to their stories of living and learning to love one another. Then, I asked them to recommend couples who they believed have a phenomenal marriage. I wanted to talk to couples who had something special. I wanted to hear if they thought this married thing was a thrill ride or a boring old train ride to work.

I must admit that I was skeptical at first. I thought that my research would lead me to conclude that marriage is difficult and then you die. I was willing to hear that, if it were the truth. I was open to anything. What I found changed my life forever.

Each couple I interviewed had a unique and compelling story about their journey to learn to love God and love one another with all their hearts. Each couple was honest with their struggles and triumphs and they were willing to share practical tips for making marriage all that it can be. I left every couple energized about the possibilities.

Mostly, I was just honored to meet these incredible people. I learned that marriage is not easy and it requires true sacrifice. But again and again, husbands and wives assured me that it has been the most thrilling part of their lives. In short, these couples restored my faith in the fun of marriage. They inspired me to keep reaching for deeper levels of understanding. This is how it is meant to be. God uses marriage to mold us, change us and challenge us. As Alice Stephens said, “Marriage is so worth the effort.”